Rain/Freeze Sensors: Definition, Benefits and More
You're very proud of your yard. The lawn is a vibrant green for most of the year and your plants are carefully chosen seasonally to ensure they grow strong.
You get excited when it rains since that means less work for you. But did you remember to turn off your irrigation system before the rain started?
If the answer was no, then you might have a problem. It's such a waste of power and water to run your sprinklers while it's raining. That's why rain and freeze sensors were invented.
This guide will walk you through why you should have rain and freeze sensors on your irrigation system.
What Are They?
A rain and freeze sensor is exactly what it sounds like. These sensors connect to your irrigation system and detect if it's currently raining or at freezing temperatures.
When these sensors detect these conditions, they turn off your irrigation system. This means that when it's raining, mother nature is allowed to handle things. If the temperatures are freezing, they can save you the headache of burst pipes and hoses.
This often involves a cup or disk that triggers a switch when it gets heavy enough. This weight turns off the water supply to your irrigation system. It also includes thermometers to monitor the temperature.
These sensors are often designed to mimic the conditions of your soil. Unless you dump the water out of the cup or air dry the disk, the weight will still be there until it eventually dries out. The irrigation won't start back up on its own until the weight of that water has decreased.
In a manner of speaking, this means that your irrigation system knows when your yard needs to be watered.
Some sensors even respond to heat as well. These systems can recommend changes to your watering schedules during heatwaves to reduce evaporation while watering.
Why You Should Have One
Do you really need one? Well, rain and freeze sensors have a lot of benefits that come with them. What exactly are they?
The Environment
For starters, they can be good for the environment! If your sprinklers are being turned off when it's raining, then you're not wasting water. That's why these sensors are often considered helpful for water conservation.
When it rains hard enough, the ground gets saturated. If you're running your sprinklers during that kind of rain it can cause runoff.
This means that any pesticides or weedkillers you've sprayed in your yard can get washed into the water system. This is extremely harmful to wildlife in the area as well as any people living near where this water exits the system.
It's also bad for your yard. Oversaturated soil means any nutrients in the soil are diluted or washed away. This keeps your lawn from growing well and exposes it to potential diseases caused by overwatering.
In other words, you don't want your yard's soil getting saturated with water and causing runoff. If you have rain and freeze sensors, then you don't need to worry about this! When your irrigation system shuts down, this keeps the soil from being so easily oversaturated and protects your local environment.
Saving Money
You also save water and energy when you install rain and freeze sensors. If it is raining, you don't need to be watering anyway. Mother nature is doing her job and taking care of your lawn and plants.
So if your irrigation system is still running while it's raining, then it's just wasteful. It's water that you could be using for a shower or as drinking water. So you shouldn't water if there has been sufficient rain.
Your irrigation system also uses electricity to open and close the irrigation system. So if you aren't using the system when unnecessary, you might save a little on your electricity bill too.
Protect Your Neighbors
If you live in an area where temperatures can change quickly, then these sensors are also a good idea. They monitor the temperature and if it gets too low, it will shut off your irrigation system during these conditions. This can help keep the pipes and hoses of your irrigation system from cracking during a deep freeze.
It can also help keep ice off your yard, sidewalks and streets. People still need to go outside and use the roads and sidewalks when it's cold out. If there's ice on the roads or sidewalks, then it can cause car accidents and dangerous falls.
Having a freeze sensor on your irrigation system isn't necessarily a guarantee that this will never be a problem. If you get rain just before it freezes, for example, there's probably still going some patches of ice on the sidewalks and roads. However, it can still help reduce the chances of a problem during unexpected deep freezes.
It's the Law
The final reasons why you should get rain and freeze sensors are legal reasons. In some states like Texas, installing rain sensors on your irrigation system is required. All new irrigation systems must have rain and freeze sensors installed with them in this state.
This means you don't really get a choice in whether your new system will have them or not. It's part of Texas' initiative to promote water conservation.
To help with this, most Texas cities have rebate programs in place when you purchase rain and freeze sensors for your irrigation system. Before you purchase one, make sure you look for one of these rebate programs for your city.
Get Rain and Freeze Sensors for Your Yard Today
If you're looking at putting a new irrigation system in for your yard, then you should be looking at getting rain and freeze sensors to go with it. They are good for making sure you keep your lawn and local environment healthy. They also make sure your pipes don't burst in the winter months.
If you're putting in a new irrigation system in Texas, then you legally need to install rain and freeze sensors, too. Hooplawn has the best rain sensors and the best freeze sensors in Texas! Come see what all the "hoopla" is about and get your rain and freeze sensors today!